Updated: 17 March 2026

On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched a coordinated pre-emptive operation against Iran under the titles “Epic Fury” and “Roaring Lion,” respectively. According to Israeli officials, the objective of the campaign is to eliminate existential threats posed by Iran, with a focus on missile and drone capabilities and nuclear-related infrastructure.  Operations “Epic Fury” and “Roaring Lion” focus on degrading Iran’s offensive military capabilities and nuclear facilities, disrupting its logistical networks, targeting key governmental and intelligence institutions, and weakening domestic security forces.

The first wave of strikes targeted Tehran, focusing on central government sites, before expanding to additional cities across Iran. The attacks reportedly targeted senior Iranian political and security officials, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, creating a temporary leadership vacuum until the appointment of his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the new Supreme Leader. The transition appears to have stabilized the regime faster than many observers expected. Support quickly emerged from regime officials and religious scholars, while Iran-aligned proxy groups pledged allegiance and regional allies sent messages of support. Iranian reports also described public rallies in more than 150 cities across the country. Together, these developments suggest Iran is attempting to demonstrate continuity and regime resilience following the killing of Ali Khamenei.

Operations “Epic Fury” and “Roaring Lion” focus on degrading Iran’s offensive military capabilities and nuclear facilities, disrupting its logistical networks, targeting key governmental and intelligence institutions, and weakening domestic security forces. Over the past week, the United States and Israel have continued conducting strikes across Iran, increasingly targeting the regime’s internal security infrastructure, including bases of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij. These operations appear to be part of a broader campaign aimed at reducing Iran’s military capabilities and limiting the regime’s ability to control potential internal unrest.

Iran is responding with waves of missile and drone attacks across the region, targeting Israel and states hosting U.S. forces or allies such as the Kurds, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Cyprus, Iraq, and Azerbaijan. Iranian strikes have focused on strategic economic infrastructure, particularly energy facilities and maritime routes in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as military and diplomatic installations and symbolic civilian targets intended to increase political pressure on regional governments.

Energy infrastructure and maritime trade routes have become central targets in the escalating conflict between Iran, Israel, and the United States. Iranian strikes and allied militia attacks have increasingly focused on oil refineries, fuel depots, pipelines, and export terminals across the region, reflecting an effort to impose economic pressure and disrupt global energy markets. At the same time, Israeli and U.S. operations have reportedly targeted Iranian fuel depots, energy infrastructure, and logistical networks that support military operations.

The conflict has increasingly drawn in additional regional and international actors. Reports indicate that Qatar carried out strikes inside Iran. France, Germany, and the United Kingdom also announced military deployments to the Middle East region amid attacks on Cyprus, signaling growing international involvement. And Pakistan signaled to Iran that it has a defense alliance with Saudi Arabia, which Iran has been attacking in the past week.

At the same time, Iran’s regional proxy network, known as the “Axis of Resistance,” has intensified its operations. Tehran appears to be shifting from largely symbolic proxy actions toward sustained operational pressure across multiple theaters in the region. Hezbollah has increased rocket and drone attacks toward central and northern Israel. At times coordinated with missile attacks originating from Iran. Israel has carried out extensive airstrikes against Hezbollah infrastructure across Lebanon, along with limited ground operations in southern Lebanon aimed at strengthening the defense of northern Israeli communities. Israel has also focused on targeting Hezbollah’s financial network. The IDF struck a facility belonging to Hezbollah’s financial institution, Al-Qard Al-Hasan, as part of a broader effort to disrupt the group’s economic infrastructure and sources of funding. Pro-Iranian militias in Iraq have also intensified attacks on U.S. interests in Iraq and Jordan, while reportedly targeting Kurdish infrastructure in northern Iraq. In response, the United States and Israel have carried out strikes against these militias, causing damage to several of their bases and operational facilities. Meanwhile, the Houthis in Yemen have threatened maritime routes such as the Bab al-Mandab Strait, raising concerns about disruptions to global trade and energy supplies.

In parallel with the physical battlefield, the conflict has expanded into the cyber domain, where Pro-Iranian hacker groups and Iranian cyber units expanded cyber operations against Israel, Gulf states, and U.S. interests, targeting government platforms, energy companies, and critical infrastructure. These operations mirror developments in the physical battlefield, highlighting the integration of cyber warfare into the broader conflict.